Rigid container for tobacco articles

ABSTRACT

In a rigid, substantially parallelepiped-shaped container for tobacco articles, defined by two end walls, and by a lateral surface in turn defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls and two minor lateral walls, at least one lateral has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to the adjacent lateral walls along respective rounded longitudinal edges, and forms, with the lateral walls, respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a rigid container for tobacco articles.

The present invention is particularly advantageous for use in the manufacture of packets of cigarettes, and more specifically to rigid, hinged-lid packets, to which reference is made in the following description purely by way of example.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventional rigid hinged-lid packets are normally in the form of a rectangular-section parallelepiped, and comprise two, respectively top and bottom, end walls; and a lateral surface bounded by the end walls and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls, and by two minor lateral walls. Each minor lateral wall is connected to both the major lateral walls at two sharp square longitudinal edges, and each end wall is connected to the lateral walls at four sharp square transverse edges.

WO-0115999-A1 discloses a rigid, substantially parallelepiped-shaped packet for cigarettes having a lateral surface defined by two flat, parallel, facing minor lateral walls, and by two facing major lateral walls, each of which has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to both the minor lateral walls along sharp edges, and forms, with the two minor lateral walls, respective obtuse dihedral angles.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,892,195-A1 disclose a rigid metallic container for cigarettes, which is made by two halves hinged together in order to have a good access to the interior of the container; the container has a lateral surface defined by two flat, parallel, facing major lateral walls, and by two facing minor lateral walls, each of which has an outwardly convex profile.

Rigid packets of the above type have several drawbacks by being unanatomical in shape, and by causing rapid wear of any clothing fabrics with which they come into contact.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rigid container for tobacco articles, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which at the same time is cheap and easy to produce.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid container for tobacco articles as recited by claim 1.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid container for tobacco articles as recited by claim 5.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid container for tobacco articles as recited by claim 9.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front view in perspective, and in the closed configuration, of a packet of cigarettes constituting a first embodiment of the container according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a view in perspective of the FIG. 1 packet in the open configuration;

FIG. 3 shows a rear view in perspective of the FIG. 1 packet in the closed configuration;

FIGS. 4 to 7 show front, side, rear and top plan views respectively of the FIG. 1 packet in the closed configuration;

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a blank used to produce the FIG. 1 packet;

FIG. 9 shows a front view in perspective, and in the closed configuration, of a packet of cigarettes constituting a second embodiment of the container according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows a top plan view of the FIG. 9 packet in the closed configuration;

FIG. 11 shows a front view in perspective, and in the closed configuration, of a packet of cigarettes constituting a third embodiment of the container according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 shows a front view in perspective, and in the closed configuration, of a packet of cigarettes constituting a fourth embodiment of the container according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 shows a top plan view of the FIG. 12 packet in the closed configuration;

FIG. 14 shows a front view in perspective, and in the closed configuration, of a packet of cigarettes constituting a fifth embodiment of the container according to the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in FIGS. 1 to 14 indicates as a whole different packets of cigarettes defining respective embodiments of the rigid container for tobacco articles according to the present invention.

Each packet 1 contains an orderly group of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of foil wrapping material (not shown for the sake of simplicity).

Each packet 1 comprises a cup-shaped bottom container 2 having an open top end 3; and a cup-shaped top lid 4 hinged to container 2 along a hinge 5 to rotate, with respect to container 2, between an open and a closed position respectively opening and closing end 3.

In the closed position, lid 4 imparts to packet 1 a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape defined by a lateral surface 6, and by two facing, respectively top and bottom, end walls 7 and 8, which are flat, identical and parallel and bound lateral surface 6.

Lateral surface 6 comprises two parallel, facing, flat minor lateral walls 9; and two flat, facing major lateral walls 10 and 11 crosswise to minor lateral walls 9. More specifically, one major lateral wall 10 defines a front wall of packet 1, and the other major lateral wall 11 defines a rear wall of packet 1.

Packet 1 also comprises a collar 12, which is folded into a U and glued inside cup-shaped container 2 so as to project partly outwards of end 3 and engage a corresponding inner surface of lid 4 when lid 4 is in said closed position.

Four longitudinal edges 13 are defined between minor lateral walls 9 and major lateral walls 10, 11; and eight transverse edges 14, perpendicular to longitudinal edges 13, are defined between end walls 7, 8 and lateral walls 9, 10, 11. More specifically, the eight transverse edges 14 are divided into four minor transverse edges 14, i.e. bounding minor lateral walls 9, and four major transverse edges 14, i.e. bounding major lateral walls 10, 11.

In the FIG. 1-7 packet, each major lateral wall 10, 11 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each minor lateral wall 9 along a respective longitudinal edge 13, and forms, with each minor lateral wall 9, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. More specifically, each longitudinal edge 13 is a rounded edge for seamlessly connecting the corresponding major lateral wall 10, 11 to the corresponding minor lateral wall 9 with no sharp edges.

Each major lateral wall 10, 11 comprises a flat central portion 15; and two precreased lateral bands 16, each curving with its concavity facing inwards to connect central portion 15 to the corresponding minor lateral wall 9, and to form with minor lateral wall 9 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Each lateral band 16 is precreased by a number of longitudinal crease lines 17 imparting to lateral band 16 a relatively wide curve, i.e. with a relatively large curve radius R1.

Each rounded longitudinal edge 13 is defined by a number of longitudinal crease lines 18 imparting to rounded longitudinal edge 13 a relatively tight curve, i.e. with a relatively small curve radius R2. The ratio between curve radius R1 and curve radius R2 is therefore greater than 1.

Generally, both lateral bands 16 and rounded longitudinal edges 13 may vary in curvature, i.e. may have varying respective curve radii R1 and R2. In a preferred embodiment, curve radius R1 of the lateral bands is at any rate over 4 mm. In one particular embodiment, the curve radius R1 of lateral bands 16 varies and tends to decrease slightly towards longitudinal edges 13, while radius R2 is substantially constant. In another particular embodiment of a packet of cigarettes with a section ranging between 50×20 mm and 60×25 mm, radius R1 ranges between 25 mm and 50 mm, and radius R2 between 1 mm and 3 mm, with a radius R1 to R2 ratio of no less than 8.

Longitudinal crease lines 17 of lateral bands 16 are spaced relatively far apart to impart relatively large curve radius R1 to lateral bands 16, while longitudinal crease lines 18 of rounded longitudinal edges 13 are relatively close together to impart relatively small curve radius R2 to rounded longitudinal edges 13.

Each end wall 7, 8 is substantially rectangular, and has rounded corners with curve radii R1 and R2 to adapt to the outwardly convex profile of major lateral walls 10, 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, collar 12 is connected to an inner surface of front wall 10 and to an inner surface of each minor lateral wall 9, which it matches in shape, including the rounding of longitudinal edges 13 adjacent to front wall 10.

As shown in FIG. 8, packet 1 in FIGS. 1 to 7 is formed from a corresponding flat, substantially elongated rectangular blank 19, the parts of which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding parts of packet 1.

Each blank 19 (which has a central longitudinal axis 20) comprises longitudinal crease lines 18; and a number of transverse crease lines 21 defining, between longitudinal crease lines 18, a panel 10′ forming a top portion of front wall 10 (and in particular the portion forming part of lid 4), a panel 7′ forming top end wall 7, a panel 11′ forming rear wall 11, a panel 8′ forming bottom end wall 8, and a panel 10″ forming a bottom portion of front wall 10 (and in particular the portion forming part of container 2).

Each panel 10′, 10″, 11′ has two lateral wings 9′ and 9″ located on opposite sides of relative panel 10′, 10″, 11′ and separated from relative panel 10′, 10″, 11′ by longitudinal crease lines 18. Panel 10′ has a reinforcing flap 22; and each wing 9′, 9″ of panel 11′ has substantially rectangular longitudinal appendixes 23 located at opposite ends of wing 9′, 9″ and aligned longitudinally with each other.

When forming each packet 1, the two lateral wings 9′ and the two lateral wings 9″ are superimposed and glued together to define respective minor lateral walls 9 of packet 1; and each longitudinal appendix 23 is folded squarely with respect to relative lateral wing 9′ or 9″, and is superimposed on and glued to an inner surface of a relative panel 7′ or 8′ to define an inner portion of a relative end wall 7 or 8 of packet 1 respectively.

In a preferred embodiment, transverse crease lines 21 (also referred to as main crease lines) are weaker than longitudinal crease lines 17 and 18 (also referred to as secondary crease lines) on account of transverse crease lines 21 defining sharp transverse edges 14, whereas longitudinal crease lines 17 and 18 serve to curve lateral bands 16 and rounded longitudinal edges 13 respectively with no sharp edges.

Various tests have shown that packet 1 of cigarettes as described above produces little wear of clothing fabrics coming into contact with packet 1, and at the same time is highly anatomically shaped for easy handling. The highly anatomical shape, not found in any known packets, is made possible by curve radii R1 and R2, and more specifically by curve radius R1 being larger than curve radius R2.

In a variation not shown of packet 1, one major lateral wall 10, 11 is a flat wall, and only the other major lateral wall 11, 10 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each minor lateral wall 9 along a respective rounded longitudinal edge 13, and forms, with each minor lateral wall 9, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle; and only two longitudinal edges 13 are rounded, the other two longitudinal edges 13 being sharp edges.

In packet 1 in FIGS. 9 and 10, major lateral walls 10, 11 are flat walls, while each minor lateral wall 9 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each major lateral wall 10, 11 along a respective rounded longitudinal edge 13, and forms, with each major lateral wall 10, 11, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Each minor lateral wall 9 comprises a flat central portion 15; and two precreased lateral bands 16 (with a number of longitudinal crease lines 17), each of which curves with its concavity facing inwards to connect central portion 15 to the corresponding major lateral wall 10, 11, and to form, with major lateral wall 10, 11, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle.

In the FIG. 11 packet 1, each major lateral wall 10, 11 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each minor lateral wall 9 along a respective rounded longitudinal edge 13, and forms, with each minor lateral wall 9, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Unlike packet 1 of cigarettes in FIGS. 1 to 7, each wall 10, 11 has no flat central portion or two curved lateral bands, and curves entirely with its concavity facing inwards.

In packet 1 in FIGS. 12 and 13, major lateral walls 10, 11 are flat walls, while each minor lateral wall 9 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each major lateral wall 10, 11 along a respective rounded longitudinal edge 13, and forms, with each major lateral wall 10, 11, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Unlike packet 1 of cigarettes in FIGS. 9 and 10, each wall 10, 11 has no flat central portion or two curved lateral bands, and curves entirely with its concavity facing inwards.

In the FIG. 14 packet 1, each major lateral wall 10, 11 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each end wall 7, 8 along a respective rounded major transverse edge 14, and forms, with each end wall 7, 8, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. More specifically, each major lateral wall 10, 11 of the FIG. 14 packet 1 comprises a flat central portion 15, and two lateral bands 16 precreased by transverse crease lines 17; and each lateral band 16 is curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding end wall 7, 8, and to form, with end wall 7, 8, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Each minor lateral wall 9 is substantially rectangular, and has beveled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex profile of major lateral walls 10, 11. In this embodiment, the four longitudinal edges 13 and four minor transverse edges 14 are sharp edges, while the four major transverse edges 14 are rounded by respective transverse crease lines 18.

In a variation not shown of the FIG. 14 packet 1, each minor lateral wall 9 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each end wall 7, 8 along a respective rounded minor transverse edge 14, and forms, with each end wall 7, 8, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. More specifically, each minor lateral wall 9 comprises a flat central portion, and two lateral bands precreased by transverse crease lines; and each lateral band curves with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding end wall 7, 8, and to form, with end wall 7, 8, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Each major lateral wall 10, 11 is substantially rectangular, and has beveled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex profile of minor lateral walls 9. In this embodiment, the four longitudinal edges 13 and four major transverse edges 14 are sharp edges, while the four minor transverse edges 14 are rounded by respective transverse crease lines.

In a further variation not shown of the FIG. 14 packet, each end wall 7, 8 of packet 1 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each minor lateral wall 9 along a respective rounded minor transverse edge 14, and forms, with each minor lateral wall 9, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. More specifically, each end wall 7, 8 comprises a flat central portion, and two lateral bands precreased by transverse crease lines; and each lateral band curves with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding minor lateral wall 9, and to form, with minor lateral wall 9, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Each major lateral wall 10, 11 is substantially rectangular, and has beveled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex profile of end walls 7, 8. In this variation, the four longitudinal edges 13 and four major transverse edges 14 are sharp edges, while the four minor transverse edges 14 are rounded by respective transverse crease lines.

In a further variation not shown of the FIG. 14 packet, each end wall 7, 8 of packet 1 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each major lateral wall 10, 11 along a respective rounded major transverse edge 14, and forms, with each major lateral wall 10, 11, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. More specifically, each end wall 7, 8 comprises a flat central portion, and two lateral bands precreased by transverse crease lines; and each lateral band curves with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding major lateral wall 10, 11, and to form, with major lateral wall 10, 11, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. Each minor lateral wall 9 is substantially rectangular, and has beveled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex profile of end walls 7, 8. In this embodiment, the four longitudinal edges 13 and four minor transverse edges 14 are sharp edges, while the four major transverse edges 14 are rounded by respective transverse crease lines.

Clearly, changes may be made to packets 1 as described herein, such as forming partly convex walls, or forming only one as opposed to two opposite facing convex walls.

It should be pointed out that the form of packets 1 may also be applied integrally to the manufacture of other types of rigid containers for tobacco articles, such as cartons of packets of cigarettes. More specifically, the scope of the present invention also extends to a carton of packets of cigarettes, which is substantially identical to one of packets 1 described above, except that, as opposed to a group of cigarettes, it contains a group of packets of cigarettes normally of the same shape as the carton. 

1) A rigid, substantially parallelepiped-shaped container for tobacco articles made by folding a flat blank (19) having a number longitudinal crease lines (18) and a number of transverse crease lines (21); the container (1) comprising two end walls (7, 8) and a lateral surface (6) bounded by the end walls (7, 8) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (10, 11), and by two minor lateral walls (9); at least one lateral wall (10, 11; 9) having an outwardly convex profile and comprising a central flat portion (15) and two lateral curved bands (16), each of which curves with its concavity facing inwards of the container (1) to connect the flat central portion (15) to the corresponding adjacent lateral wall (9; 10, 11) along the respective longitudinal edge (13); each lateral band (16) being precreased by fist longitudinal crease lines (17), which impart to the lateral band (16) a curve having a first curve radius (R1); the container (1) being characterized in that the longitudinal edges (13) adjacent to the lateral wall (10, 11; 9) having an outwardly convex profile are rounded edges and are defined by a number of second longitudinal crease lines (18), which impart to each rounded longitudinal edge (13) a curve having a second curve radius (R2) smaller than first curve radius (R1). 2) A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein each major lateral wall (10, 11) has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to the minor lateral walls (9) along respective rounded longitudinal edges (13), and forms, with the minor lateral walls (9), respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles; the minor lateral walls (9) being flat. 3) A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein each minor lateral wall (9) has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to the major lateral walls (10, 11) along respective rounded longitudinal edges (13), and forms, with the major lateral walls (10, 11), respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles; the major lateral walls (10, 11) being flat. 4) A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first curve radius (R1) is greater than 4 mm. 5) A rigid, substantially parallelepiped-shaped container for tobacco articles, made by folding a flat blank (19) having a number longitudinal crease lines (18) and a number of transverse crease lines (21); the container (1) comprising two end walls (7, 8), and a lateral surface (6) bounded by the end walls (7, 8) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (10, 11), and by two minor lateral walls (9); at least one lateral wall (10, 11; 9) having an outwardly convex profile and comprising a central flat portion (15) and two lateral curved bands (16), each of which curves with its concavity facing inwards of the container (1) to connect the flat central portion (15) to the corresponding end wall (7, 8) along the respective transverse edges (14); each lateral band (16) being precreased by fist longitudinal crease lines (17), which impart to the lateral band (16) a curve having a first curve radius (R1); the container (1) being characterized in that the transverse edges (14) adjacent to the lateral wall (10, 11; 9) having an outwardly convex profile are rounded edges and are defined by a number of second longitudinal crease lines (18), which impart to each rounded transverse edges (14) a curve having a second curve radius (R2) smaller than first curve radius (R1). 6) A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein each major lateral wall (10, 11) has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to the end walls (7, 8) along respective rounded transverse edges (14), and forms, with the end walls (7, 8), respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles. 7) A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein each minor lateral wall (9) has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to the end walls (7, 8) along respective rounded transverse edges (14), and forms, with the end walls (7, 8), respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles. 8) A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first curve radius (R1) is greater than 4 mm. 9) A rigid, substantially parallelepiped-shaped container for tobacco articles, made by folding a flat blank (19) having a number longitudinal crease lines (18) and a number of transverse crease lines (21); the container (1) comprising two end walls (7, 8), and a lateral surface (6) bounded by the end walls (7, 8) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (10, 11), and by two minor lateral walls (9); at least one end wall (7; 8) having an outwardly convex profile and comprising a central flat portion (15) and two lateral curved bands (16), each of which curves with its concavity facing inwards of the container (1) to connect the flat central portion (15) to the corresponding lateral walls (10, 11; 9) along the respective transverse edges (14); each lateral band (16) being precreased by fist longitudinal crease lines (17), which impart to the lateral band (16) a curve having a first curve radius (R1); the container (1) being characterized in that the transverse edges (14) adjacent to the end wall (7; 8) having an outwardly convex profile are rounded edges and are defined by a number of second longitudinal crease lines (18), which impart to each rounded transverse edges (14) a curve having a second curve radius (R2) smaller than first curve radius (R1). 10) A container as claimed in claim 9, wherein each end wall (7, 8) has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to the major lateral walls (10, 11) along respective rounded transverse edges (14), and forms, with the major lateral walls (10, 11), respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles. 11) A container as claimed in claim 9, wherein each end wall (7, 8) has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to the minor lateral walls (9) along respective rounded transverse edges (14), and forms, with the minor lateral walls (9), respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles. 12) A container as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second curve radius (R1) is greater than 4 mm. 